Japan lifts ban on urban drone flights
TOKYO, Dec. 5– Japan on Monday lifted a ban on urban drone flights outside visible range over residential areas, local media reported. The removal of the ban is expected to facilitate the commercialization of services using drones such as aerial parcel deliveries and help address the country’s labor shortages amid the greying of the population across the…
TOKYO, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — Japan on Monday lifted a ban on urban drone flights outside visible range over residential areas, local media reported.
The removal of the ban is expected to facilitate the commercialization of services using drones such as aerial parcel deliveries and help address the country’s labor shortages amid the greying of the population across the country, particularly in rural areas, according to Kyodo News.
Such drone flights will be permitted if Japan’s transport ministry gives approval in advance, which are likely to begin next March or later as it takes time to certify drones and qualify pilots.
Unattended drone flights were previously only allowed over uninhabited areas, such as mountains, rivers and farmlands in so-called level-three operations under the four-tier classification system.
This time, the Japanese government removed the ban on level-four drone flights in which the pilot operates an unmanned aerial vehicle over residential areas without a direct line of sight. Enditem